


Hold My Hand In Yours As We Drown In The City Of Our Tears

by Moondancer2006



Series: Collection of Hollow Knight Stories [4]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Affection, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Comfort, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romance, Soft Love, They are not ghosts, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25239538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moondancer2006/pseuds/Moondancer2006
Summary: Markoth and Xero realise they have feelings for each other.
Relationships: Markoth & Xero (Hollow Knight), Markoth/Xero (Hollow Knight)
Series: Collection of Hollow Knight Stories [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764748
Comments: 11
Kudos: 47





	Hold My Hand In Yours As We Drown In The City Of Our Tears

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [One Rainy Evening.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23105638) by [justascrubwritingquestionablestuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justascrubwritingquestionablestuff/pseuds/justascrubwritingquestionablestuff). 



> I hope it's okay that I got inspired off your work. If you have a problem please tell me and I'll delete this!

It 's nostalgic returning to the City of Tears. It's different, of course, but still familiar. 

He had lived here, once, before he was banished. Ghost had invited him back warmly. Though they refused to be King, they still held some semblance of authority in Hallownest. 

The cool rain drips through a seam in his gorget, trailing it's way down his neck. 

It's also pretty unnerving. 

He had passed by one of the fountains and almost ran right back out of the city.

While the fountain looked like any other fountain in the city, it brought back some extremely unpleasant memories.

_Hands on his neck, on his back, pressing his head under the water and he thrashed and struggled, stone pressing against his chest, his lungs, he couldn't breathe he couldn't breathehecouldnt—_

"It's… different." A hand on his spaulder, a welcome weight, grounding him. "It's damp? Certainly has a different vibe than the Kingdom's edge. It's nice."

Markoth's eyes dart around, at the shops, architecture and the people, bright and curious. 

Cute. 

Markoth's hand drops down and grips Xero's, squeezing it, perhaps to let out some excitement or out of concern when Xero doesn't answer. 

Xero blinks and smiles, licking his lips under his helmet. Blood. He had been biting his bottom lip. 

He starts to feel warm, still, as if the chill of the City has been chased away. It was always much nicer when Markoth was around. 

"It looks a bit different from before. It's definitely much more beautiful now."

"Is that so?" Markoth murmured curiously, brushing away some raindrops that threatened to drip into Xero's eyes when he looked up at him, "Would you like to enlighten me on how it was before?"

That gesture made Xero flush under his helmet and he looked down quickly, not wanting Markoth to see. The moth was painfully unaware of how his actions around Xero made him feel. 

Pushing his feelings to the back of his mind, Xero begins to ramble about what the City of Tears was like before, Markoth guided them towards a shop, positioning his shield above them, blocking the rain perhaps a little too late. 

All the while, he holds Xero's hand. 

* * *

Markoth had come to notice the way he lights up everytime Xero even just entered the room.

His heart quickened, his face grew warm as Xero leaned against him, pressing himself against him to rest, head buried in his fluff. 

He looked forward to the time spent with Xero more than anything else. Reading, resting, exploring, bickering. It doesn't matter. 

He loved to hear his voice, loved to see his milky white eyes shine, loved to feel his fingers combing through his fluff, fidgeting with his cloak. 

And Markoth wondered why. 

He has never felt like this before.

* * *

Xero was strangely gentle for a hunter, which was something he didn't realise when they had first met. 

(Markoth did attack everything he deemed a threat after all, and Xero wielding a large nail was no different.)

Hunters were usually loners, tend to be mostly apathetic, their sole reason for existing seemed to be to kill for fun. 

Xero was definitely a strong fighter, and Markoth has seen him mercilessly rip bugs to shreds if needed, but he wasn't apathetic. 

(He remembered Xero's expression when they had come across the bodies of countless bugs discarded in the Soul Sanctum. He was one of the most emotional and empathetic bugs he knew.)

He watched Xero pat Marmu as she pawed at his thigh, watched as he picked her up and she rested her head sleepily on his shoulder, one of her arms patting the side of his helmet lazily. 

He observed him hum a lullaby quietly, swaying until she had fallen asleep and then stroll into her room to tuck her in. 

Markoth was not sure if he'd met anyone that intrigued him like Xero did in his life. 

* * *

It strikes him one day, as Xero flops down next to him, leans face first into him and falls asleep.

He feels strangely protective as he sees the bandages wrapped around his torso peek out from under his tank top, encasing the stab wound he'd received while completing his most recent contract. 

As he watches the rise and fall of the hunter's chest, notices his hand clutching his shirt, he realises. 

He loves him. 

He loves Xero. 

* * *

It's all wrong. 

He shouldn't be feeling like this. 

Not about a friend. (Not about anyone.)

He's too cocky if he thinks anyone likes him. Especially in that way. (Remember what happened last time?) 

If they found out, everyone would turn away from him. He would turn away from him. He'd have nothing left. What would be the point of being alive, then?

He shouldn't like Markoth. 

He shouldn't want Markoth. 

He shouldn't want to hold his hand, he shouldn't want to pull him close and feel his arms wrap around him, he shouldn't want to feel his lips on his, he doesn't want to… 

He doesn't want to be in love with Markoth. 

* * *

If he holds on to Markoth for a little longer than what was acceptable during their rare hugs, Markoth doesn't notice. 

If he plays with Markoth's fingers when he holds his hand, entwining their fingers together, Markoth doesn't say anything.

If he sits or stands a little too close to Markoth, their shoulders brushing, Markoth doesn't seem to mind. 

As long as Markoth allowed him to have these little things, Xero doesn't care. He pushes the want for something more to the back of his mind, trying to bury it, to keep it hidden. 

If he denied it, ignored it for long enough, surely he would get over it sooner or later, would he not? 

* * *

Xero sits on a bench, warming his hands with a cup of hot chocolate, watching the quiet bustle of bugs across the Town Square. 

Markoth is next to him, watching the raindrops pelt down heavily on to the ground. 

"Markoth?"

He almost doesn't hear him, his hoarse quiet voice even softer than usual, and timid as well. 

"Yes?"

"Do you hate me?"

Markoth felt a chill across his body. 

_What?_

"W—"

"I mean, I don't even know why you hang out with me."

" _Why_ would you even _ask_ me that?!"

Xero trembles, turning his head away as if ashamed. 

"Nevermind, forget I said anything." He said quickly, squeezing the cup in his hands tightly. 

"... Xero…"

Markoth shifts closer to Xero. 

"Xero… Hey… Look at me…"

He tilts Xero's head back to him, Xero's eyes full of raw emotion, tinted with fear. 

"You're never a bother to me, and never will be. You're one of the most important bugs to me."

Xero grips Markoth's hand, turning to hide his face in it. With uncharacteristic gentleness, Markoth strokes his helmet in response. 

"I care about you more than anyone else in the world. I don't want to lose you, so don't ever feel undeserving of me or any of your friends."

A tiny whisper. 

_"Really?"_

Markoth's heart beats quickly, his cheeks warming and flushing slightly. 

He hesitates, then leans forward and plants a gentle kiss on Xero's helmet, at the part covering his forehead. 

Xero freezes, gripping his hand harder.

"Yes, _really._ I promise." He says firmly. 

Xero pulls away slightly, thinking.

Then, with a small sigh, Xero buries his face into Markoth's fluff. 

Markoth takes the cup and places it on the side of the bench, then wraps his arms around him. 

They sit in silence, eyes closed, listening to the rain. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> As much as I love to read romance fics, I suck at writing romance. I guess it's because I don't have experience, so I'm afraid it'll come across as strange and fake. 
> 
> This ship is still pretty underrated. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed reading this and thank you for making it this far!


End file.
